Bookmark the conference Web page for updates about this conference that will feature keynote addresses by prominent scholars and convene panels to discuss issues of importance to the heritage language community. The call for proposals is scheduled for May, 2009.

Maryland takes lead in developing strategies to preserve heritage languages

The state of Maryland has taken a strong leadership role to ensure that it capitalizes on the diverse language skills of its population and reaps the benefits of language learning. The Task Force for the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland is the first state-sponsored task force on heritage languages in the U.S.

The Alliance is developing an expanding library of answers to frequently asked questions on heritage language issues. We highlight questions periodically in the Alliance News Flash. For this May edition, we highlight the following new FAQ.

What are the similarities and differences among English language, foreign language, and heritage language education in the United States?
Developed by: Ann Kelleher, University of California, Davis; Erin Haynes, University of California, Berkeley; and Sarah Moore, Center for Applied Linguistics

This FAQ describes the importance of developing proficiency in languages in addition to English and addresses social, political, pedagogical, and curricular differences among English language, foreign language, and heritage language programs.

The Alliance is pleased to present the newest entries from our Heritage Voices Collection, an online series that highlights programs and languages of interest to the heritage language community. Our Heritage Voices: Programs feature is San Antonio Alamo Chinese Language School, and our Heritage Voices: Languages feature is Tamil. We hope you enjoy this series. For more information, visit our Web site.

Heritage Voices: Languages – Tamil
Tamil is a member of the Dravidian family of languages and is spoken primarily in the state of Tamil Nadu in India and in Sri Lanka. With over 66 million native speakers worldwide, and a growing number in the United States and Canada, Tamil is by some estimates the 17th most spoken language in the world.

Heritage Voices: Programs – San Antonio Alamo Chinese Language School
The San Antonio Alamo Chinese Language School is a community-based Chinese language school dedicated to the teaching and promotion of Chinese language and culture in the greater San Antonio community.

The Online Collection of National Heritage Language Program Profiles allows heritage language programs in community-based and K–12 settings to form a network to exchange ideas and resources with one another.

The Alliance for the Advancement of Heritage Languages is seeking to develop community among professionals working in heritage language education and research by providing information and resources of interest.

The Alliance News Flash is a quarterly online newsletter created for professionals working in the area of heritage language education, to create connections and to give updates on new developments and recent resources in the field. If you have suggestions for articles for the Alliance News Flash, for Alliance activities, and other ideas to create community, please email the Alliance at heritage@cal.org.

Share the Alliance News Flash

Encourage friends and colleagues to sign up to receive the Alliance News Flash by sharing the link to our Join Our List form